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By contrast, there is little activity at the other end of the ideological
spectrum. Left- wing religious efforts at political mobilization - where they
exist - seem puny, aged and marginalized. After decades of riding popular social
movements such as civil rights, the left splintered and now seems unable to
regroup. Conversely, the GOP has co- opted the support of religious voters by
focusing their attention on cultural and lifestyle issues - such as gay

The Church tried to counter the news of decline by focusing on a rise in
monthly attendance figures among young people, but it is getting harder
to encourage clergy in the face of pew drains such as those in Dioceses
such as Lichfield and Liverpool where average weekly attendance went
down by 4,700 and 3,000 respectively.

"Those are the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah," he declared on the steps
of this city's Anglican cathedral, which is an island of calm amid the
skittering traffic and jam-packed sidewalks of Africa's largest city.
"For a bishop to come out openly and say he is gay is a sin before God
and man."

In all the recent events around All Saints Parish and the Diocese of South Carolina, a number of Public statements have been made about our relationship. It is my intention in this letter to present the position that I have taken and offer documentation to support that position. Having heard both sides, you may then draw conclusions, as you are so led, which conclusions will I pray move us closer together rather than apart.

Bishop Johnson emphasizes his desire to preserve the "church as it currently
exists." Here are the facts about the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA) as it
currently exists. It is a Church that is no longer in relationship with the
majority of Anglicans worldwide. It is a Church that no longer turns to
Holy Scripture for its guidance. It is a Church that has chosen the ways of
man over the ways of God. It is a church that has undermined the

No matter what one's opinions are about the more controversial decisions
reached at our last General Convention, one has to admit that they were
done publicly and above board. Using the long established means to reach
decisions as a Church gathered in Convention, the outcome and resulting
actions were literally done before the eyes of the world.

Borrett and other members of the diocesan standing committee met for
several hours Jan. 5 with the vestry of All Saints Church of Pawleys
Island to try to find a way to keep the parish from voting to leave the
denomination, which it did Thursday, he said.

None of those five candidates has directly expressed his views on the
recent confirmation of the openly gay New Hampshire bishop, the Rev.
Gene Robinson. Thompson disagrees with the confirmation of homosexual
clergy but said it is important to work together.